Artistic pit stop | Perugia

On a road trip down from the Emilia-Romagna region, Perugia made a charming pit stop. There is never too little time for beauty – especially with the promise of seeing a Klimt work in person on display in the town’s historic center. After a quick and delicious Umbrian lunch, my son and I sought out the treasures within the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria.

The work of Klimt was stimulating and grotesque at once – a fascinating contrast. Seeing Klimt’s Le tre età up close was profound: the vivid colors, intricate patterns and emotional depth of the painting truly came alive. The gold leaf and decorative touches that are Klimt’s signature always leave me in awe. However, my son was less enthused about the work, perhaps its theme of the stages of life not resonant with his 14-year-old spirit.

As we paced through the galleries, we paused only for the pieces that truly caught our eye, as we had in the back of our mind the second half of our road trip ahead.

After this spinning dose of gorgeousness, we got back in the car and happily headed South and home to Rome.